HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

Order Number: AA--R1UHA--TE

This book provides information about managing DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS systems.

Revision/Update Information: This is a revised manual.

Operating Systems: OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1
OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1

Software Versions: DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Version 7.1

Digital Equipment Corporation Maynard, Massachusetts

Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.

Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from DIGITAL or an authorized sublicensor.

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© Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All rights reserved.

The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: DDCMP, DEC, DECnet, DECNIS, DECserver, DECsystem, DEC WANrouter, DECwindows, DIGITAL, DNA, InfoServer, OpenVMS, PATHWORKS, POLYCENTER, TURBOchannel, ULTRIX, UNIBUS, VAX, VAXBI, VAXstation, VMS, VT, and the DIGITAL logo.

The following are third-party trademarks:

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Microsoft, MS, and MS--DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
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OS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
Motif, OSF, OSF/1, and Open Software Foundation are registered trademarks of Open Software Foundation, Inc.
OSI is a registered trademark of CA Management, Inc.
PATHways is a registered trademark of The Wollongong Group.
SCO is a trademark of Santa Cruz Operations, Inc.
TCPware is a registered trademark of Process Software Corporation.
UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Ltd.

All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

The OpenVMS documentation set is available on CD-ROM.

This document was prepared using VAX DOCUMENT, Version V3.2m.

The DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management guide provides conceptual and task information about managing DIGITAL's DECnet-Plus product (formerly DECnet/OSI). This guide explains how to manage and monitor the network.

Intended Audience

This book is intended for system managers and network managers who control, monitor, or test DECnet-Plus software running on an OpenVMS operating system. This guide assumes you are familiar with your operating system, but not necessarily experienced with the DECnet-Plus product and the DECnet Phase V architecture.

Document Structure

This book has four parts and nine appendixes:

Related Documents

The following related documents are part of the documentation set. For a complete list of the documents in the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS documentation set, refer to the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Introduction and User's Guide.

• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Release Notes
  Be sure to print this text file at the beginning of the installation procedure and read it before continuing.
• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Introduction and User's Guide
  Introduces the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS features and tools, and how to use and manage a DECnet Phase V end system. This guide also provides a comprehensive glossary of DECnet Phase V terminology.
• DECnet-Plus Planning Guide
  Explains in detail the transition from DECnet Phase IV to DECnet Phase V architecture, providing configuration guidelines and planning tasks.
• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Installation Quick Reference Card
  A quick reference for installing DECnet-Plus software on an OpenVMS system.
• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management Quick Reference Guide
  A quick reference for managing your DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS software and network.
• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Installation and Basic Configuration
  The first installation book to read to successfully install DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS. Included is an installation checklist that explains what you need to know before you begin and how to configure DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS using the BASIC configuration option.
• DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Applications Installation and Advanced Configuration
  The second installation book to read to successfully install and configure X.25 for OpenVMS Alpha, P.S.I and P.S.I. Access for OpenVMS VAX, FTAM, VT, and OSAK. It also includes how to configure DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS using the ADVANCED configuration option, and how to modify a current configuration.
• DECnet-Plus Network Control Language Reference
  Provides command descriptions and examples for all NCL commands. Begins with an orientation chapter that contains information about executing NCL commands and consists of 27 chapters --- one for each module --- describing the commands.
• DECnet-Plus Problem Solving
  Explains how to isolate and solve problems that can occur while your network is in operation, and how to perform loopback tests. Includes information on using the DTS/DTR utility for problem solving.
• DECnet-Plus FTAM and Virtual Terminal Use and Management
  Explains how to use File Transfer, Access, and Management (FTAM) for remote file transfer and management and Virtual Terminal (VT) for remote login to OSI-compliant systems. It describes how to manage each application.
• DECnet-Plus DECdts Management
  Explains how DECdts works and how to manage the DECdts clerk and server components. Suggests problem-solving techniques, describes the command interface, and lists the DECdts commands. Contains a list of time services and universal time providers, as well as a world time zone map.
• DECnet-Plus DECdns Management
  Details how you create and populate a DECdns distributed namespace. For additional information on namespace planning, refer to the DECnet-Plus Planning Guide.

For additional information on the Open Systems Software Group (OSSG) products and services, access the DIGITAL OpenVMS World Wide Web site. Use the following URL:

http://www.openvms.digital.com

Reader's Comments

DIGITAL welcomes your comments on this manual.

Print or edit the online form SYS$HELP:OPENVMSDOC_COMMENTS.TXT and send us your comments by:

How To Order Additional Documentation

Use the following table to order additional documentation or information. If you need help deciding which documentation best meets your needs, call (800-282-6672).

Conventions

VMScluster systems are now referred to as OpenVMS Cluster systems. Unless otherwise specified, references to OpenVMS Clusters or clusters in this document are synonymous with VMSclusters.

The following conventions apply to this book.

Every day, a business depends on its network to exchange data in a timely, reliable fashion. A well managed network lets an enterprise accomplish common, essential, time-critical business functions. These tasks might include:

• Supporting transaction processing applications, for which remote access to distributed databases is required
• Disseminating corporate documents
• Exchanging electronic mail messages

Whatever the task, the network is indispensable when users on multiple systems need to communicate. Consequently, understanding how to manage a DECnet Phase V network becomes vitally important to an enterprise that uses DECnet Phase V software such as DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS.

1.1 What Is Network Management?

A DECnet-Plus system needs little day-to-day management once you have installed and configured it. You might need, however, to modify the configuration occasionally to meet changing circumstances. You also need to monitor the system to make sure it is working correctly and providing the best service for its users.

This book provides information about postinstallation and postconfiguration tasks you might have to perform. For information about troubleshooting your network, refer to the DECnet-Plus Problem Solving guide.

DECnet-Plus provides many network management tools you can use to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot your network. The primary tool you will use for managing your network is Network Control Language (NCL). Table 1-1 correlates major network management tasks with the appropriate tool for accomplishing that task. Table 1-1 also provides a pointer to where you can find more information about the tasks and tools.

A DECnet Phase V network consists of many units (for example, systems and network components such as links) that you can manage. To allow management of large networks, the units are organized into a hierarchical structure. This structure establishes a naming scheme that allows you to deal with the complexity of large networks. It is defined here only for the purpose of uniquely identifying entities, and does not show how the entities interact with one another.

Figure 1-1 shows the DECnet entity naming hierarchy. Each computer system in a DECnet Phase V network is a top-level unit that is represented as a node entity in network management. A node entity is assigned a name that is unique throughout the network. This forms the basis for assigning names to subordinate entities in the system that will themselves have networkwide uniqueness.

Below the node entity in Figure 1-1 are module entities. Modules consist of a group of network functions that, together, provide a particular service. Some examples of modules are Modem Connect, OSI Transport, DIGITAL Data Communications Message Protocol (DDCMP), and High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC). There is only one occurrence of a module entity in a node.

Below the module are additional entities (or child entities of the module). These entities allow management of some part of a module's functions. The HDLC module, for example, maintains hdlc link entities for each communications link over which the protocol operates; hdlc link is the full class name of the communication link entity. Each instance of the hdlc link entity requires further identification to allow it to be distinguished from the others. For example, in hdlc link hdlc-1, hdlc-1 is the instance name that further identifies the hdlc link.

Figure 1-1 Entity Naming Hierarchy

The hierarchy of entities is used to form an entity name. An entity name consists of a global part and a local part. The global part contains the node entity name, which identifies the node in the network. The local part identifies the entity within the node. The local part is derived from the class name and instance name, if applicable, of the entity itself and those of its parent entities, up to the level of the node entity.

To identify an instance of an entity, supply the information indicated by the italicized text:

Global part Local part

node node-instance module entity-class entity-instance

For example:

node admin hdlc link hdlc-1

This syntax is similar to a fully specified mailing address, where the order of addressing might consist of the country, state, city, street, house and individual. All the components of the mailing address are needed to uniquely identify the recipient of the mail. Regarding DECnet Phase V networks, you must include all parts of the entity name to uniquely specify the precise unit being managed.

1.3 Modules and Entities

DECnet-Plus software implements the DECnet Phase V layered model. For each layer, DECnet-Plus software provides one or more modules, each of which implements a specific protocol and provides a corresponding service within the system. Each module is divided into entities that permit management of some part of the module's function.

Any modifications that you make to a DECnet-Plus system involve changing or adding to the network management information on the system. To perform network management tasks, you manipulate entities in the various modules.

For example, the Modem Connect module holds information for synchronous communications devices attached to a system. Figure 1-2 shows a typical module (Modem Connect) and its entities. The line entity in Modem Connect contains all the information (such as line speed, duplex, errors detected, and current state) about a particular communications line. A line entity exists for each communications line on the system.

Figure 1-2 Modem Connect Module

Figures 1-3 and 1-4 show the entity hierarchy structure for each module within each layer of the DECnet Phase V layered model. Note that this model is similar to that for DECnet-Plus for DIGITAL UNIX systems, except DIGITAL UNIX systems do not support DDCMP, and OpenVMS systems do not support Token Ring.

Figure 1-3 Entity Hierarchy and the Upper Layers

Figure 1-4 Entity Hierarchy and the Lower Layers

To manage a system effectively, you need to know which module and entity contain what information. Table 1-2 summarizes the main tasks you can perform with each module. It includes names of entities in the module.